Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-10-22
A COSTLY WAIF OF THE SEA.
Sailors Once in q While Find a Forum
 Floating on the Water.

Sailors Once in a While Find a Fortune
 Floating on the Water.
 Two sailors entered wholesale drug store on lower Nassau street the other day, carrying with them a parcel which they handled as carefully as a young mother fondles her infant. They thought they had piece of ambergris, which is a very costly substance usually found in the belly of dyspeptic whale.
 They were confident they had some thing worth about $20,0o0 but upon examination, unfortunately, it was found to be only hardened tallow mixed with dirt and salt-about as valuable as a chattel mortgage on flock of pigeons. The captain could not believe in the ex- pert's judgment and went out, still clutching his long guarded treasure and expressing his dissatisfaction with liberal use of profanity. Similar mis- takes to the one already described are often made in this city. The proprietor of the store spoke of the history and uses of ambergris as follows:
 Nearly every one is constantly using ambergris. It is every day in the hands of ladies and gentlemen throughout the world, but comparatively few people know anything about it. Its origin is disputed. Even scientists do not agree upon its true source; and, although it enters all houses where civilization reaches and an immensely profitable trade in the commodity is carried on, nine out of ten people whom you meet would not know what you meant if you mentioned its name. It is Q slatelike substance, vary ing in color from dark to light gray, the darker shades, which are also denser in fiber, being the most valuable. A piece weighing from twenty to thirty-fve pounds is seen but once in a lifetime. Tbe most of it handled by the dealers is made up of pieces only few ounces in weight. It is worth to-day about $24 per ounce and during the last few years has sold as high as $40 per ounce in con- sequence of it's scarcity. Finding piece of it is like finding S5 note. You are as likely, or unlikely, to find it in one place as in another. There are several theories as to it's origin, the generally ac- cepted ono being that it is an accumula- tion of secreted and indigestible matter in tho stomach of sick whale. It is found all over tine globe at rare intervals by seafaring men, either floating on the water, cast up on some shore or lodged inside the whale. Tho greatest source of supply is the Arctic ocean, and also the southern Attitudes, the usual cruising ground of the whaling vessels. The com manders are always on the lookout for it, as among the superstitious of the sea it is considered an omen of good luck for the ship ever afterward when her master brings home piece of ambergris. He is always allowed portion of the profits. You could put piece worth S10, 900 in your overcoat pocket, and from this you can understand how the toilers of the ocean never cease their vigilance in s:::7- ing for 1t.
 ''The fact that it is the most efficient known substance in producing the last ing quality in pcrfumcry gives it its enor- nous commercial value. Civet and musk are used for the same purpose, but are not as powerful. When perfume is made, white rose, cassia or heiotrope, for example, the odor of the flowers would quickly pass away, as the spirits forming the body of the liquid evaporate. Ambergris, however, prevents this, and ! is the indispensable boon that holds back the scent for days and weeks upon the handkerchief. When treated with alco- hol it divides itself up into an almost in- finite number of fine particles, which are mixed in the perfumery and remain on the fabric after the spirits have evapor- ated, acting as minute reservoirs and holding tho pure essence of the flower after the cloth is perfectly dry. One ounce dissolved in gallon of alcohol will make a strong tincturc, and you would be required to use only Q single ounce of this tincture in gallon of perfumery, which conveys an idea of how far @ few ounces of ambergris will go. Its production is limited to few pounds per year, where as it is the most important factor in the manufacture of millions of gallons of per fumery. When a large piece is found, the news of the discovery is telegraphed to dealers and tho markets of the world are affected. In one instance a New York firm, some years ago, bought up a large portion of the existing supply and realized largely on the corner thus pro- duced. Boston is the most influential center, as New Bedford, near at hand, sends out more whaling ships than any other city of any country. The owners of the ships sell the ambergris to the wholesale dealers, and although all drug stores keep little on hand, it is bought directly from the wholesale men by the perfumery manufacturers. "-New York Mail and Express.